Two lifes ruined. I wish JJ gets back on his feet. He has already been a commentator on a DTM race, and he also wrote a season preview of F1 for a magazine. Finland is a country of alcohol, there's no escaping that. Shit happens here, people die because of drinking. We shouldn't destroy people's lives too much.

That doesn't seem harsh to me considering the manslaughter element, regardless of any appeal in 28 months JJ will probably still be alive, on a lighter note, its a good job he doesn't have to appeal to the FIA, he'd end up with a Ten stretch.

JJ Lehto said the Court of Appeal that he does not take risks and drive the boat drunk. The prosecutor wondered why JJ Lehto reports his memory for images ranging from police questioning, the district court proceedings and the Court of Appeal handling.

Well, in Finland there are plenty of rumors. And neighbours, wittnessing JJ beating his wife.

Even if your dubious sounding claim was true, and I'm certainly not saying it is, what does it have to do with the boat accident? Lots of people drive boats under the influence of alcohol. That doesn't mean they're all wife beaters and bad people. Your comment comes off as nothing more than smearing.

Its nice to see that their together and I hope they don't loose the courtcase. Noone could of expected that a driver like Lehto could end up like that, tough brake thats all. When your on top you dont expect to slide down.

Its nice to see that their together and I hope they don't loose the courtcase. Noone could of expected that a driver like Lehto could end up like that, tough brake thats all. When your on top you dont expect to slide down.

In Finland the legal question is that either he drove the boat drunk or let a drunk person to drive the boat. Both are very bad offences. His defence seems to be based on that a court can't decide wich was his crime.

Former Grand Prix driver JJ Lehto has been cleared of all charges for his part in the boat accident that killed a friend in 2010.

Last year, Lehto had been sentenced to two years and four months in prison after a court found he was drunk and speeding on his boat before crashing into a bridge support pillar in Finland in July of 2010.

Lehto, 46, had appealed the sentence, claiming he was not steering the boat, but instead sitting in the back when the accident occurred.

The Finn, who raced in Formula 1 from 1989 and 1994, has now been cleared of all charges after the appeals court decided his friend had been driving the boat with Lehto a passenger.

By my understanding, in the District Court, they ruled that one of them is steering the boat and one of them is sitting next to him. As the crash happened, they ruled that steering wheel actually protected the one who stayed alive.

In the Court of Appeal, they ruled on possibility that one of them was actually sleeping behind and then protected. It was also ruled that the one who died had chest injury which could happen from hitting the steering wheel.

[quote name='DriveFastLiveSlow' date='Oct 3 2012, 15:17' post='5951762']
In Finland the legal question is that either he drove the boat drunk or let a drunk person to drive the boat. Both are very bad offences.

Amazing justice criteria! This certainely means that in Finland you always have to carry a Breathalyzer and test everyone who drives you. It must be a living hell for taxi drivers!

Supposedly you don't really know finnish law systems/enforcements in terms of the amount of corruption.

So finally we can end this case and let JJ live as normal as he can for the rest of his life. Possibly a comeback to a F1 commentary box even. Non-finnish writers here seem to not have the facts straight or something if they claim that JJ should be in any more trouble that he has already been to. After all it was two wasted guys doing silly things with a boat which ended horribly for the other one and no one knows the driver of the boat. So case closed.

Until unintentional dumb-driving vehicle homicide gets similar treatment than weapon homicide, because after all it causes just as much damage and pain, people won´t take dumb-driving vehicles seriously. It´s sad to see how stupid we can be behind the wheel of whatever fast moving thing.

Until unintentional dumb-driving vehicle homicide gets similar treatment than weapon homicide, because after all it causes just as much damage and pain, people won´t take dumb-driving vehicles seriously. It´s sad to see how stupid we can be behind the wheel of whatever fast moving thing.

Yes, but that was not the issue here, was it? If they don't know for sure whether he was driving or not, then how can it be called homicide?

Both were drunk as hell, and there's not enough clear evidence to put either one behind the wheel. Whatchu gonna do?

You charge Lehto under the joint enterprise laws. But that wasn't really the point. The original trial found that the evidence pointed to Lehto being the driver. An appeal court is not meant to re-evaluate the evidence. That's what a trial is for. The appeal court is meant to look at the legal tests that were applied.

Exactly. I would like to point out that Finland is not a corrupt country and our legal system rarely gives major sentences to ANYONE.

That's oxymoronic.

You as a british person should be last to talk about our justice system taking account your own history and infact what is allowed to happen Your society even today:

That's nothing to do with the justice system. Thuo has never been found guilty of anything in any court. Unless you think we should put people away without trial.

If you want to know about our justice system, I can point to the hundreds of millions per year brought into the country because non-British litigants trust the courts in London more than courts anywhere else in the world.

At least until the current government started listening to accountants and is threatening to horlicks it all up. Why anyone would ever listen to an accountant for business advice is totally beyond me. If they were good at business they wouldn't be accountants.

At least until the current government started listening to accountants and is threatening to horlicks it all up. Why anyone would ever listen to an accountant for business advice is totally beyond me. If they were good at business they wouldn't be accountants.

The British legal system is the worst I've personally experienced, and I talk from first hand ecperience. The police are corrupt (not all admitedly), but if it doesn't suit them or it is un-PC, you won't get a fair trial. I'd take my chances in Finland any day.

I don't see how you arrived at that conclusion. Just a Northern European legal system based around rehabilitating offenders into society instead of creating career criminals.

Serious crimes not having serious repercussions? Cui bono?

The British legal system is the worst I've personally experienced, and I talk from first hand ecperience. The police are corrupt (not all admitedly), but if it doesn't suit them or it is un-PC, you won't get a fair trial. I'd take my chances in Finland any day.

I've first hand experience of several legal systems. England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, the United States (New York, Texas and Florida).

There is no question at all that the English is so far ahead of the others that it's frightening just how much shit can be thrown on people that they will absorb. Indeed I would go so far as to say that only the English and Scottish systems are not racist.

Incidentally police corruption is nothing to do with the legal system.